Caitlyn
Girl name · #2496 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 71 baby girls were named Caitlyn, placing it at #2496 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #598, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,352 girls born in 2025 was named Caitlyn.
The 57-year story
Caitlyn first appears in the Social Security records in 1968, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1998, when 2,937 girls were named Caitlyn — good for #115 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Caitlyn per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Caitlyn against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Caitlyn in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Caitlyn is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Caitlyn will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Caitlyn is most common
State-level data for Caitlyn is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Caitlyn
Statistically, parents drawn to Caitlyn tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kaylyn, Katelyn, Kaitlyn, Jessalyn, and Jacklyn.
KaylynKatelynKaitlynJessalynJacklynKatelynnCarleyCameryn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Caitlyn | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 71 | #2485 |
| 2024 | 78 | #2347 |
| 2023 | 103 | #1922 |
| 2022 | 123 | #1692 |
| 2021 | 127 | #1641 |
| 2020 | 127 | #1632 |
| 2019 | 198 | #1186 |
| 2018 | 206 | #1170 |
| 2017 | 232 | #1091 |
| 2016 | 249 | #1049 |
| 2015 | 494 | #598 |
| 2014 | 692 | #462 |
| 2013 | 754 | #406 |
| 2012 | 826 | #378 |
| 2011 | 930 | #343 |
| 2010 | 1,071 | #302 |
| 2009 | 1,279 | #256 |
| 2008 | 1,492 | #227 |
| 2007 | 1,611 | #213 |
| 2006 | 1,755 | #200 |
| 2005 | 1,898 | #182 |
| 2004 | 2,030 | #165 |
| 2003 | 2,080 | #160 |
| 2002 | 2,266 | #148 |
| 2001 | 2,536 | #133 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Caitlyn a popular girl name?
Caitlyn ranked #2496 among girls in 2025 with 71 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #598.
When was the name Caitlyn most popular?
Caitlyn peaked in 1998, when 2,937 American girls received the name (ranked #115 that year). Since 1998 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Caitlyn?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,352 newborn American girls was named Caitlyn. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.